How undefeated Maryland overhauled its roster and still found immediate chemistry

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Maryland coach Brenda Frese talks to her players during a game on Nov. 10. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — There is no hesitation. Yes, Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said, this is the quickest she’s seen such strong chemistry come together in her 30-plus-year coaching career.

The No. 7 Terrapins (9-0) are excelling with 10 newcomers, including a program record-tying seven transfers. They entered the season as a question mark (albeit with a No. 18 ranking by Associated Press voters) hidden behind flashy Big Ten additions UCLA and Southern Cal. The two Los Angeles programs were the only ones featuring two players on the coaches’ preseason All-Big Ten team.

“I don’t think a lot of people thought we were gonna have this much chemistry this early,” said senior guard Shyanne Sellers, the only Maryland player to earn preseason accolades, in an interview with Yahoo Sports.

Sellers is the linchpin, a WNBA first-round prospect who has experienced varied success in a four-year roller coaster at Maryland. Facing one final collegiate season, she provided key assists to the coaching staff as it righted the program back toward its standard.

“She was a huge cog even after those visits staying in touch with the players that we wanted to be able to have,” Frese said.

Maryland didn’t add the biggest names in the portal. Instead, USC (Kiki Iriafen, Talia von Oelhoffen) and UCLA (Charlisse Leger-Walker, Timea Gardiner) won big while Oklahoma (Raegan Beers), Iowa (Lucy Olsen) and Texas (Laila Phelia) filled key holes. Yet, they did find the right veteran pieces that would fit well and succeed together.

Christina Dalce, a 6-foot-2 forward from Villanova who was named Big East co-defensive player of the year a season ago, ranks in the 99th percentile of field goal efficiency (68%) — up from 72nd percentile (44.1%) as a junior, according to Her Hoop Stats. She and Saylor Poffenbarger, a 6-2 former all-SEC freshman team honoree from Arkansas, are controlling the boards for…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/how-undefeated-maryland-overhauled-its-roster-and-still-found-immediate-chemistry-141528586.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-12-05 14:39:00

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